Brian Cushing was a bloody mess by the end of the first quarter Sunday.
The Y.A. Tittle-like image of the former Bergen Catholic standout and current Houston Texans linebacker hit the Internet harder and faster than any of his tackles.
Images of Brian Cushing's bloody face made the rounds on the internet.
A bleeding gash above his nose and between his eyes — sustained in a collision withOaklandoffensive lineman Cooper Carlisle — quickly turned Cushing into the poster boy for what many still consider old-school, tough-guy football.
Soon after, thePark Ridgenative was trending worldwide on Twitter, and that was before he went out and delivered his best performance in two seasons, albeit in Houston’s disappointing 25-20 loss to the Raiders at Reliant Stadium.
“This is the NFL. Every week is going to be a dogfight, whoever you’re playing,” said Cushing, who registered eight tackles, including two for losses, and a sack. “The great teams find a way to win, and we weren’t able to do it [againstOakland]. We can’t hang our heads. We’re going to play a great team [the Ravens] next week at their place.
“It will definitely be a test, but definitely a way to bounce back.”
Cushing called his bloody face “one of those things you have to push through,” a fitting description considering the Texans will be a study in perseverance this season.
The Texans Brian Cushing clowning around before Sunday's game against the Raiders.
On the heels of having running back Arian Foster and wide receiver Andre Johnson sidelined with nagging hamstring injuries, Houston now has taken an even bigger hit.
Former No. 1 overall pick and standout pass rusher Mario Williams is out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle after being placed on injured reserve Monday.
His absence leaves a gaping hole in what has been a stout Houston defense under former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, whose installation of a 3-4 scheme has paid immediate dividends.
“You’re never going to be able to replace a guy like Mario,” Cushing said. “But at the same time it’s the ‘next guy up’ attitude. There are 11 guys out there and we lost a great player. When one guy goes down, it’s the same with Andre, the offense kind of needs to step up. And when one guy goes down, like Mario, the defense needs to step up.
“Injuries are a part of the game. We just have to find a way to respond.”
The Texans are ranked in the Top 10 in total defense and scoring defense, and Cushing’s move to inside linebacker has shored up their ability to stop the run.
Cushing appears fully recovered from off-season knee surgery and finally has regained some of the production and swagger that seemed lost amid the controversy stemming from his disputed four-game suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs in 2010.
“I was [pleased with the performance Sunday],” said Cushing, 24. “But at the same time, there’s always room for improvement. I definitely could have made more plays. … We needed to make a big one to change momentum and things, and we weren’t able to do it.”
NEWS ITEM: WR Austin’s return should help Romo, Cowboys power back up.
Garfield’s Miles Austin returned to practice Monday after missing the Cowboys’ last two games, including their loss to the Lions after Tony Romo’s pair of fourth-quarter pick-six interceptions in Week 4.
Austin aggravated a preseason hamstring injury against San Francisco Sept. 18, and while his status to play Sunday against the Patriots remains undetermined, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said: “We’re certainly optimistic about him.”
While the Cowboys should get a boost with Austin’s return, as well as the addition of a fully healed Dez Bryant following a bye week, an interesting subplot for Dallas will be the always-prevalent ties to the Jets.
One would imagine Rob Ryan, Dallas’ defensive coordinator and Rex Ryan’s twin brother, might take a page or two out of the game plans used by Gang Green against Tom Brady and New England through the years, at least the ones that have worked.
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